* Even though USC Salkehatchie doesn't offer Football, I thought it would be interesting to football fans to know this little known fact about former NJCAA players.
COLORADO SPRING, Colo. -- The world's biggest sporting event takes place Sunday, Feb. 7 in Miami, Fla., when the Indianapolis Colts meet the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV. Like in year's past, the NFL's biggest game will feature several former NJCAA football players. Three former NJCAA gridiron stars will dress for the New Orleans Saints, including starting tight end Jeremy Shockey and starting nose tackle Remi Ayodele who both attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Former College of DuPage (Ill.) standout Paul Spicer is a backup defensive end for the Saints.
Shockey, a four-time pro-bowl selection, spent one season at NEO A&M (1999) before transferring to the University of Miami, where he was a finalist for the John Mackey Award in 2001, given to college football's top tight end. He was the 14th overall draft pick in the 2002 NFL Draft by the New York Giants and was traded to the Saints prior the the start of the 2008 season.
Shockey was a member of the 2007 Giants team that won the Super Bowl but did not play in that game due to injury. Shockey has 48 catches this season for 569 yards and three touchdowns this season. Ayodele, who played for NEO A&M from 2004-05 before transferring to Oklahoma, played a key role in the Saints' NFC Championship game victory over Minnesota.
He had four solo tackles and recovered a fumble at the 12-yard line of the Vikings early in the fourth quarter. A three-year NFL veteran, Ayodele signed as a free agent with the New England Patriots after going undrafted in 2006. He has also spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys and Frankfurt Galaxy of NFL Europe. He has 18 tackles, 12 assists and 1.5 sacks on the year. A 10-year NFL veteran, Spicer was an NJCAA All-American linebacker at DuPage in 1995. He then earned Great Lakes Conference Player of the Year honors at Saginaw Valley State (NCAA DII).
He signed as a free agent with the Seattle Seahawks in 1999 and spent time with Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars before joining the Saints this season.For the Colts, starting left guard Ryan Lilja was a two-year starter at Coffeyville Community College (Kan.) from 2000-01 and defensive back Kelvin Hayden was the top player in all of NJCAA football while playing at Joliet Junior College (Ill.) from 2001-02. Both players were members of the Colts' Super Bowl XLI championship team. Before Lilja protected Peyton Manning's blind side he was an All-Kansas Jayhawk CC Conference selection at Coffeyville.
He then transferred to Kansas State where he was a member of the 2003 K-State team that won a Big 12 title. He went undrafted and was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004 and was later signed by the Colts where he has started 50 games since 2005. Hayden led Joliet to the 2002 NJCAA Football Championship as a wide receiver. He finished his two-year career at Joliet with 115 receptions for 1,839 yards (16.13 yards per rec. avg.) and 17 touchdowns.
He was a two-time All-Conference and All-Region pick while also being named the 2002 NJCAA Offensive National Player of the Year and a first-team NJCAA All-American. He then transferred to Illinois where he was moved to the defensive backfield. He started 11 games at cornerback as a senior and had 71 tackles, 41 solo, one FF, six passes defended, four interceptions (tied for Big 10 lead) and one blocked kick.
He was a second round pick by the Colts in the 2005 draft and recorded his first interception and touchdown of his NFL career in Super Bowl XLI when he intercepted a Rex Grossman pass and returned it 56 yards for the go-ahead score. For more on Super Bowl XLIV visit www.nfl.com.
